Irena Bihariová (born 15 September 1980) is a Slovak lawyer and politician. She was the leader of Progressive Slovakia from June 2020 to May 2022. In 2022, a meeting of the Progressive Slovakia party took place, where the only candidate, Michal Šimečka, ran. He was elected chairman of the Party and Irena Bihariová was elected vice-president of the Party.[1]

Irena Bihariová
Member of the Slovak National Council
Assumed office
25 October 2023
Chair of the Progressive Slovakia
In office
6 June 2020 – 7 May 2022
Preceded byMichal Truban
Succeeded byMichal Šimečka
Personal details
Born (1980-09-15) 15 September 1980 (age 43)
Trnava, Czechoslovakia
Political partyProgressive Slovakia
Alma materComenius University

Early life edit

Bihariová attended Faculty of Law at Comenius University in Bratislava, receiving a master's degree in 2009.[2] She identifies herself as Romani, born in an "assimilated family".[3][4]

Since 2009, Bihariová has been leader the association People against Racism.[5] On 29 July 2013, she became vice-chairwoman of the Committee for the Prevention and Elimination of Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Other Forms of Intolerance at the Ministry of the Interior. She was elected for the "National Strategy for the Protection and Support of Human Rights in Slovakia".[6]

Political career edit

On 8 May 2019, Bihariová was elected vice president of Progressive Slovakia.[7] She finished fourth place during the February 2020 parliamentary elections with 46,798 votes.[8]

On 4 March 2020, Bihariová confirmed that she would run for party chairwoman.[9] During the party congress on 6 June, Bihariová defeated Michal Truban.[10] According to her, she was trying to enforce a "fragile balance between political idealism and pragmatism".[11]

During the 2023 Slovak parliamentary election, she was elected as a member of the Progressive Slovakia.[12]

References edit

  1. ^ "Progressive Slovakia's new leader is female and Roma". The Slovak Spectator. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Osoby, ktoré získali titul na UK" (in Slovak). Univerzita Komenského.
  3. ^ "Irena Biháriová: Jak se Romka z hnutí Progresívní Slovensko obejmula s Kotlebovým voličem". romea.cz (in Czech). 25 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020.
  4. ^ Sudor, Karol (9 November 2015). "Dávajte si pozor na tú Bihariovú". Denník N (in Slovak).
  5. ^ "Mgr. Irena Bihariová". Progressive Slovakia (in Slovak).
  6. ^ "Novou podpredsedníčkou VRAX sa stala Irena Bihariová z OZ Ľudia proti rasizmu". minv.sk (in Slovak). 29 July 2023.
  7. ^ Ondrejkovič, Ľuboš (8 May 2019). "Lídrom PS sa dnes stal Michal Truban". Progressive Slovakia (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 8 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Definitívne výsledky hlasovania". volbysr.sk (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 24 September 2016.
  9. ^ "Irena Bihariová bude kandidovať za predsedníčku Progresívneho Slovenska". Denník N (in Slovak). 4 March 2020.
  10. ^ "Novou predsedníčkou Progresívneho Slovenska je Irena Bihariová". Denník N (in Slovak). 6 June 2020.
  11. ^ Tódová, Monika (6 June 2020). "Predsedníčka PS Irena Bihariová: Kto, ak nie my, má búrať komplexy Slovákov". Denník N (in Slovak).
  12. ^ "Zvolení poslanci". SME (in Slovak).